The festival usually begins from the full moon day in the Pohela month of Nepal Era which is Poush month of Bikram Sambat, normally from January to February, and will end on the next full moon day. Every night family members gather around, recite one chapter of the story each day till the 31st day in almost every Nepali family. This month-long festival is marked by fasting especially by women including few men the entire month for the sake of family welfare or getting a good husband or wife.[4] The festival concludes with an Ashwamegha Yagya, devotees worship god Shiva for whole night.
When the festival concludes next month, various types of food are prepared to mark the end of the day. It is believed that every thing has to be 108 pieces, even the flowers. Of the 108 pieces, eight are to be given to the husbands; if there is no husband then to a son; and if no son then to the son of a friend; and if no friend then the fasting lady has to formally release it on the nearby river.
The festival is in fact a ritual of fasting for 30 days. It is called 'apsan chonegu' in the local Nepal Bhasa and 'brata' in Nepali. Fasting is voluntary for those interested in undertaking this month-long brata. Traditionally, the locals of Swaniga - Kathmandu Valley - observed this brata. Swaniga refers to the local villages, towns and cities like Sakwo (Sankhu), Khwopa (Bhaktapur), Yala, (Patan), Yen (Kathmandu), Bhondesh -Bhotan (Banepa), Palanti (Panauti), Phampi (Pharpin), and other Newar localities. Especially people from certain castes of Newars took this brata.
In the present day context, the devotees are not limited to Newar people only. There are devotees from all over the country and all the Hindu castes. The devotees from Brahmin and Chhetri communities are increasing year by year. During the Brata, God Madhavnarayan is worshipped. It seems that the brata is a blend of Shaivism and Vaishnavism. Madhavnarayan is the name of Vishnu in the month of Magh since Vishnu is worshipped by different names in each of the 12 different months.[citation needed]